World Hepatitis Day

World Hepatitis Day is a community-led initiative, which was globally launched in 2008. Thanks to extensive advocacy work by the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) and its patient group members the day gained official recognition in 2010. The World Health Assembly adopted a resolution, which made World Hepatitis Day one of only four official disease-specific days, to be marked each year on the 28th July.

Millions of people across the world now take part in World Hepatitis Day, to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, and to call for access to treatment, better prevention programs and government action. Last year events were held in over 150 countries, and 87 governments officially marked the day. This kind of success is evidence of what can be achieved when the community of patients comes together.

ELIMINATE HEPATITIS

The elimination of viral hepatitis has now been firmly put on the map. At the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva, 194 governments adopted WHO’s Global Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, which includes a goal of eliminating hepatitis B and C in the next 13 years. The community responded by launching NOhep, the first ever global movement to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

On WHD 2017, we can build on this momentum and accelerate progress towards achieving the goal of elimination by 2030.

ELIMINATE HEPATITIS is a simple call to action that everyone can get behind. Regardless of your priorities, the theme can be easily adapted for local use; to achieve elimination, greater awareness, increased diagnosis and key interventions including universal vaccination, blood and injection safety, harm reduction and treatment are all needed. Every activity that addresses viral hepatitis is a step towards eliminating it.

No matter what your plans are to mark WHD, be it a rally or press briefing or testing events, they can all come under the theme of Eliminate Hepatitis.